Nicknames of Country Musicians Quiz

Answer: Eddy Arnold

Tennessee native Eddy Arnold came by the nickname honestly. He hit the road at age 18 intent on a career in the music business. He made his radio debut in 1936 and was managed by Colonel Tom Parker before Parker hooked up with Elvis. He focused on singing love ballads instead of traditional honky-tonk and country songs and started getting airplay, scoring several hits into the fifties.

His career took a back seat to the emerging fifties rock and roll scene, but he got another manager and released many of his 28 number one hits through the sixties and seventies.

He continued to record and tour until he released "After All These Years" at age 87. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1966, was voted the first Country Music Association's Entertainer Of The Year in 1967 and received the Academy of Country Music's Pioneer Award in 1985. Bob Moore is a legendary Nashville bass player who played on most of Arnold's recordings. Bobby Bare and Roy Clark were not known by any particular nicknames.

Answer: Doug Kershaw

Douglas James Kershaw grew up in French-speaking Cameron Parish. He grew up surrounded by fiddle and accordion players. He and his brother Rusty began performing locally and before long they appeared on the "Wheeling Jamboree". This exposure led to appearances at The Grand Ole Opry and "Louisana Hayride".

After a brief stint in the military he wrote and recorded "Louisana Man" based partially on his own life. The song became a staple of Cajun music enthusiasts. Kershaw appeared on "The Johnny Cash Show" and began opening for Derek and the Dominoes on tour. During his shows he sings in French and English, often wears out a bow on one song and dances. One of his greatest tributes was when "Louisana Man" was broadcast from Apollo 12. Doug performs a couple times a month at his restaurant, Doug Kershaw's Bayou House. Louisiana musician Jimmy C. Newman is a long-standing member of the Grand Ole Opry. Roy Drusky enjoyed a Country music career in the sixties and Jack Greene was nicknamed the "Jolly Green Giant" and is known for "There Goes My Everything."

Answer: The Singing Brakeman

Jimmie Rodgers' dad worked for the railroad and wanted his son to follow in his footsteps. Jimmie tried to go on the road as a singer but his father always made him come back to the railroad. He eventually hit the road for good and formed a band, got heard on the radio and began performing regularly on a radio station as the Jimmie Rodgers Entertainers.

A representative from the newly-formed RCA Victor Recording Company was looking for talent to record and heard the group. Jimmie went on to record several early Country hits for RCA.

His last recording was "Years Ago". He died suddenly at age 35. He was one of the first three people inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame when it opened in the early sixties. Boxcar Willie wrote one of his early recordings titled "Boxcar Willie" and the name stick with him.

The other names are fictitious.

Answer: Whispering Bill

Bill Anderson's hits are known for his soft voice phrasing as well as his recitation between verses. After many artists had been enjoying hits with songs he composed, he decided to try his hand at recording. He also made the transition to talk show host, hosting "The Better Sex" and "Fandango". Anderson joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1961 and his autobiography is aptly titled "Whisperin' Bill".

His second book is titled, "I Hope You're Living As High On The Hog As The Pig You Turned Out To Be". The book pokes fun at the Country music business.

His most recent endeavor is hosting the XM Satellite show, "Bill Anderson Visits With The Legends". Billy Grammer is known for "Gotta Travel On". Bill LaBounty had a hit with "This Night Won't Last Forever". Still Bill is made up.

Answer: Sonny James

Sonny earned the title "Southern Gentleman" because he is very polite. After serving his stint in the military, he worked as a sideman in Slim Whitman's band playing fiddle. He soon established himself as a strong singer and appeared on "The Louisiana Hayride" and "The Ed Sullivan Show". "Young Love" was released in 1957 and became a big crossover hit. James continued to record many top Country hits and "Billboard Magazine" named him Artist of the Year in 1969.

He was admitted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2006 and has a star on the Walk of Fame. Roy Claxton Acuff came to be known as the "King of Country Music". Dudley is known for "Six Days on the Road". "Wings of a Dove" and "Gone" were hits by Ferlin Husky.

Answer: Stringbean

Dave Akeman came by his first banjo by trading two prize chickens for it. His family was musical and he quickly became proficient on his banjo. He won a talent contest and before long he was working in bands. One band leader forgot his name and referred to him as "Stringbean".

The name stuck. At another show a headliner failed to appear and Stringbean found himself responsible for providing a comedy routine. It was inevitable that he would end up a member of The Grand Ole Opry and a regular on "Hee Haw".

His tenure as a founding member of the "Hee Haw" cast was cut short when he was murdered during a robbery in his home in 1973. The crime was featured on an episode of "City Confidential". Uncle Dave Macon is another premier banjo player. Singer David Frizzell is the younger brother of Country great Lefty Frizzell.

Answer: Grandpa Jones

Louis Marshall "Grandpa" Jones actually earned his nickname at an early age while in radio. He would arrive at work grumpy so his fellow employees dubbed him "Grandpa". He realized the name would be a good gimmick and he used it while performing on the banjo, yodeling and singing old-time country songs.

Some of his better known recordings are "Night Train to Memphis", "T for Texas" and "Mountain Dew." After settling in Nashville, Jones became a popular member of the "Hee Haw" lineup. He is a 1978 inductee into The Country Music Hall of Fame and his 1984 biography is entitled "Everybody's Grandpa: Fifty Years Behind The Mike". Cledus T. Judd is known for his parodies of Country songs. Jimmy Jones did "Handy Man".

Answer: Johnny Paycheck

Donald Lytle first went under the name Donny Young while performing as a side man for George Jones. He co-wrote Jones' song, "Once You've Had the Best". After working with other Country music greats he changed his name to Johnny Paycheck and began a string of solo efforts like "She's All I Got" and "For A Minute There".

In 1977 he recorded David Allan Coe's song, "Take This Job and Shove It" and became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. "Take This Job and Shove It" was made into a movie of the same name. Paycheck continued to record more hits but trouble with the law landed him in jail and he died broke. George Jones purchased his burial plot and headstone. William Lemuel Boyd was a Western style singer from Texas. "Before the Next Teardrop Falls" was a big hit for Freddy Fender, born Baldemar Huerta in Texas. Hal Ketchum sang "Past the Point of Rescue".

Answer: Lynn Anderson

Lynn Anderson was born Lynn Rene Anderson. She worked as a secretary for a radio station in Sacramento. Her mom wrote a Top Ten song for Merle Haggard called "All My Friends (Are Gonna Be Strangers)". While in Nashville, Lynn was singing an informal group jam when a local record executive heard her and thought she had potential.

After a coupe of failed attempts she released the number five "If I Kiss You (Will You Go Away)" and recorded duets with other Country singers. She became a regular artist on "The Lawrence Welk Show". "(I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden" was originally not going to be released, but Lynn loved the song and record mogul Clive Davis agreed with her.

The song became a Country and Pop classic and reached number one. Lynn continued to tour and record and also enjoys horse riding. Dale Evans was the stage name of Frances Octavia Smith. Roberta Lee Streeter is also known as Bobbie Gentry and Crystal Gayle was born Brenda Gail Webb.

Answer: Hank Williams Jr.

Grand Ole Opry ventriloquist and comedian Rod Brasfield had a dummy named Bocephus. Hank's dad reportedly nicknamed Hank, Jr. after the dummy. He grew up heavily influenced by the stars that worked with his dad, and for the early part of his career he performed in a style similar to Hank Williams.

In the late seventies he began developing his own style. His hard-edged songs earned him the distinction of being named Entertainer Of The Year by the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music in the late eighties.

He was asked to sing the "Monday night Football" theme and opened for "Super Bowl XL". Tex Williams was born Sollie Paul Williams and sang "Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette). Don Williams has charted 17 number one hits. Jerry Jeff Walker wrote "Mr. Bojangles".